A to Z Herbarium: Yarrow

Yarrow

Courage, Love, Psychic Powers, Exorcism

Yarrow offers protection when worn, and courage when held in the hand. Carrying yarrow will also attract the attention of those you most want to see. Dried yarrow hung over the bed or used in wedding decorations ensures that love will last for at least seven years.

Yarrow can be used to exorcise evil and negativity from people, places, or things. (Basically, all nouns.)

Drink yarrow flower tea to improve psychic powers. Washing one’s head with a yarrow infusion will prevent baldness, but won’t cure it if you’re already bald.

Yarrow is apparently helpful in treating numerous ailments all throughout the body. The most common, however, seem to be drinking yarrow tea for colds and to help break fevers. One suggested tea blend for colds and flu is yarrow, peppermint, and elderflower, to be drunk as soon as the cold or flu is coming on. Yarrow is also supposed to be good for healing wounds, promote good circulation and digestion, as well treating ailments surrounding the urinary and reproductive systems—particularly for women.

Yarrow (and other herbs) was once used to brew a type of beer called gruit in the days before hops. This practice was largely phased out after the sixteenth century, though gruit brewing still happens today. In fact, there is an International Gruit Day (#gruitday for those inclined toward hashtaggery) that takes place Feb. 1. Good times.

Yarrow seems to be another one of those “umbrella” herbs that covers all a wide variety of issues. In fact, the photo you used makes me smile – it looks a bit like our avian friend is under an umbrella.

Hi Sara – I knew about Yarrow – but I probably should have been told about the bed scenario a few decades ago! We have it or let it be around in the verges of gardens and countryside as it attracts butterflies … gruit sounds as though it could be quite intoxicating … cheers Hilary

It’s funny about the hanging yarrow over the bed, because I’m thinking, “OK seven years of love, then what?” If you need an herb to make it work, maybe it’s overrated. 😉 I wish we had yarrow around here. Of course, maybe we do, and I just haven’t seen it. I will have to keep a look out!